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May 13, 1930.

A. RUTTIMAN IGNITION DEVICE Filed June 3, 1926 Patented May. 13, 1930 ALFRED RUTTIMAN, 0F GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO FLORENCE STOVE COMIPANYfOF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS IGNITION DnvIcE Application led .Tune 3, 1926. Serial No. 113,497.v

This invention relates to ignition devices, having particular reference to sucha system as may be used with oil burning stoves t0 ignite the same.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a sparking plug which will operate under the so-called high tension or jump spark system, which when operated will heat small quantities of oil to a temperature favorable for ignition by the spark from said device.

Another important object is the provision of a spark plug which by reason of the use of a certain t pe of electrode, will more readily burn ofiy any accumulated carbon deposited thereon thus insuring positive sparking and consequent ignition.

To this end my invention consists in a unipolar spark plug having a terminal composed of a plurality of fine, heat resisting, impeded heat conductive, current conducting wires. Such wires may be composed of nichrome material or other hea-t resisting metal or alloy and may be enclosed in an enamel sheath, the ends of the wires being exposed. The spark alf rgniual and a part of the metal burner bowl of the oil stove to which the device is attached, the spark being allowed to jump in proximity to the stove kindler saturated with fuel oil.

The invention further consists in the novel arrangement, construction and combination of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawin s in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevatlon of one form of device located in the burner bowl of an oil stove.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified form.

Fig. 4 isa view of another form.

Fig. 5 is a viewv of still another form.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the device of Fig. 5 along the line 6-6.

In the drawin I have illustrated in Fig. 1 a burner oil bow generally at 1 which is of the ordinary type as used in a constant oil is formed between such electrode or tef level, oil burning stove. This bowl is adapted to receive oil from a supply pipe 2 secured thereto. Fixture 3 may be attached to any deslred form of burner raising or lowering' means, (not shown) so that by raising or lowering the bowl above or below the malntained oil level, the burner may be extinguished or ignited, all as is well known.

A. kindler 4 of asbestos or other suitable material is located in the bowl 1 and becomes. saturated with oil flowing from the supply pipe 2. The oil in the kindler 4 in this type of stove is burned directly therefrom and heats a chimney (not shown) which rests upon the bowl 1.

Secured in an angular manner through the wall -of the bowl 1, I provide a cylindrical sleeve 5, the upper portion of which terminates close to the upper portion of the" kindler 4.

Within the metal sleeve 5 is a spark plug 6 of porcelain or the like (Fig. 1) having an axial a erture 7 therein occupied by a wire 8- one en of which is connected to a jump spark coil shown diagrammatically at A, supplied with current from dry cells 10, the. other end of which grasps one or a plurality of line wires 9 of a heat-resisting nature of heat impeded conductivity. These wires may bev of nichrome or similar material, partially enclosed by the plug 6, or an enamel sheath as hereinafter described. The size of these wires are to be such that the passage of a suitable amount of current therethrough will render 4them red hot even though coated with carbon or fuel oil.

A push button 11 may be used to permit the coil to be energized to cause a spark to jump from wires 9 to bowl 1, or sleeve 5. l

Any carbon deposited on the wires 9 will be instantly burned oii when the switch 11 is thrown, so that there will be no failure to sparkon this account. Likewise any fuel oil on the wires 9 will be instantly vaporized paths of the high being vaporized by the so that the spark may ignite the same without diliculty.

If the wires 9 are of s uiiicient length, the spark may occur between them and the upper ledge'of the burner bowl proper. At all events this sparking occurs in a Zone Where fuel oil vapors exist, and the ignition is eX- pedited by oil vaporized from the heated electrode itself.

In Fig. l the electrode end ofthe insulator is tapered as at l2 to obtain uniform strength, to increase the surface resistance and get an air space between plug section l2 and tube 5 as large as possible. it the neck of tapered portion l2, the enlarged plate like rib section 13 adds further resistance to leaking voltage current, hinders dirt from falling into tube 5, and providesa radiating periphery for the discharge direct through the air into upper edge of tube 5.

When the free spark, due to a dirty or carbon covered plug, takes a short circuit through thepcarbon on the plug instead of jumping freely tothe burner bowl, the ignition will take place anyway by reason of the heat from the incandescent electrode :made up of the bundle of tiny wires of heat impeded conductivity, the oil on the kindler heat of the electrode and ignited by the incandescent character of the electrode.

The electrode 14: of Fig. 3 is shown to be of more nearly cylindrical form and with a rounded head.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the insulator as provided with a head l5 having a series of spaced apart concentric grooves which I have found to be an advantageous form of device.

While the material of whichthe insulator may be made includes porcelain, yet in some instances I have found that a cheaper material may be used such as lava or some other insulating substance. It has been found desirable to provide the insulator with an enameled cap I6 having a tip 17 through which the wires 9 may project and act as before. Such a structure prevents to a maximum extent the sticking or accumulation of carbon on that part of the device surrounding the electrodes 9 without making necessaryconstructing the entirey insulator from an eX- pensive material such as porcelain. It has been found that where the Wires 9 are enclosed in an enamel sheath, only relatively small surfaces of such wires are exposed to moisture and carbon. Such tiny spots are quickly dried and the carbon burned olf locally so that the essential high plug resistance is restored by the heating effect of the jump spark current and the spark discharge.

In the embodiment of F ig. 5, the insulator and its containing sleeve rise directly Within the oil bowl 1, and between the ends of the Wick or kindler.

The end of the plug consisting of tiny heat meseta I resisting wires of heat impeded conductivity is unipolar in that it is the only pole which serves as an ignition means. rIhe plug is unlpolar in the sense that the high' igniting temperature of the spark always occursl on the plug and not on the bushing holding the plug. This is so whether the current surges are stronger or directed in the one or the other direction.

I claim:

l. In combination an annular oil bowl having a kindler therein, jump spark electrodes one of which is made up of a group of tiny heat resisting unipolar electrode wires o f heat impeded conductivity and togetherwlth the other jump spark electrodeprov1d1ng a gap in proximlty to said kindler, whereby on the one hand the spark will ignite the oil with which said kindler is saturated orin the event of a short circuited spark gap said oil will be vaporized and ignited bythe incandescence of said tiny w1res,substantially as described.

2. In combination, an oil burning stove having an annular burner bowl, a kindler 1n said bowl, a sleeve extending through the inner Wall of said annular bowl to a point above the oil level in the bowl, a unitary unipolar spark plug in said sleeve, said spark plug comprising an insulating sheath extending above the oil level in the bowl, an electrode within said sheath, the upper end of said electrode forming a preheater structure comprising a plurality of tiny heat resisting, current conduct-ing, unipolar electrode wires of heat impeded conductivity in cross-section, said tiny Wires extending slightly beyond the end of the sheath and into proximity to and directly above said oil and kindler and' upon being rendered incandescent by passage of current therethrough, adapted to burn off oil or carbon thereon and to preheat and vaporize the fuel oil.

3. In combination, an oil burning stove having an annular burner bowl, a kindler in the bowl, a sleeve disposed at an angle and projecting upwardly and outwardly in a radial plane through the inner wall of said annular bowl to a point above the oil level in the bowl, a unitary unipolar spark plug frictionally received Within said sleeve, said spark plug comprising an enamel sheathextending beyond said sleeve and above said oil level in the bowl, an electrode within said enamel sheath, the upper end of said electrode forming a plurality of tiny heat resisting, current conducting, electrode Wires of heat impeded conductivity in cross-section, said tiny wires being disposed to extend slightly beyond the end of the enamel sheath and into proximity to and directly above said oil and kindler and upon being rendered incandescent by passage of electricity therethrough, toburn ed any oil or carbon thereon and to preheat and vs pmi'fi preheater structure comprising a the fuel oil tobe ignited by a spark caused by a jump spark coil in series Wlth a source of power, said spark jumgng. from said tiny wires to said sleeve or urner bowl in prox- 5 imity to the kindler saturated with uel oil,

\ and in case of short-circulted spark gap,said

tiny Wires being constructed* and disposed to ignite the vaporized fuel by their incandescence alone.

10 In testimony whereof, I have axed my signature.

' ALFRED RUTTIMlI.l 

